Around The World In Eighty Days

Based on the novel by Jules Verne

Director's Notes I Cast & Crew I Gallery I Performances

Mr. Phileas Fogg was, in 1872, one of the most striking members of the Reform Club. Though he always seemed to avoid attracting attention. That is until, he uttered the fateful words…

‘Gentlemen, it is now possible to travel around the World in 80 days’.

The gentlemen of the Reform disagree and bet against the feat. Fogg, accompanied by his single servant, Jean Passepartout, sets out to prove his point.

Meanwhile, an audacious robbery has been committed at the Bank of England. It is thought the robber has most likely fled abroad and Chief Inspector Detective Fix is on the case.

As Fogg embarks on his ’impossible’ journey, Fix becomes convinced that Fogg is the robber!

Will Fogg win his bet? Will Fix catch Fogg? Will there be elephants and tsunamis live on stage? Maybe.

Mayhem? Probably.

A new adaptation of Jules Verne’s epic tale brought to you in an exciting collaboration between Blue Apple and The Occasion.

An enormous pleasure and privilege

Every rehearsal process is a journey. Some are relatively simple; you catch a bus, travel a few stops and get off. At the intended destination.

Others can be considerably more complex, involving many, varied forms of transport – that may, on occasion, be cancelled, break down, or are missed altogether; involve a lot of checking and re-checking of timetables… but still, hopefully, arrive at the correct destination.

And then there’s always the possibility – which always lurks, unspoken, deep down – that the journey will end with everyone floating in an unrecognisable sea, thousands of miles from home, with no idea of where you are or how you got there.

I think, somewhat appropriately, ’80 Days’ fits into the second of these categories. I can’t think of a single other Blue Apple show that I’ve directed where, time after time, something has come up which knocks the rehearsal off kilter. I’d think I’d got the ‘journey’ back on track then, wham, something else would come up… In terms of telling the tale of Phileas Fogg’s undertaking it all seems, weirdly, appropriate.

I’m now just looking forward to being told that I’ve unexpectedly gained a day when we’re pulling our hair out during Production week!

As ever, it has been an enormous pleasure, and privilege, to work with the company.

Peter Clerke
Artistic Director

Cast & Crew

The Reform Club

Neil White - The Right Honourable Bartholomew Ralph
Katie Appleford - Lord William Flanagan
Anna Brisbane - George Sullivan Q.C.
Tommy Jessop - Sir Stewart Stuart

Other Major Players in the Drama

James Benfield - Phileas Fogg
Lawrie Morris - Passepartout
Ros Davies - Detective Inspector Fix
Katy Francis - Princess Aouda
Aaron Pressman - British Consul/ Bunsby
Tom Hatchet - Police Commissioner / Conductor/ Long Nose / Colonel Procter
Andrew Malster - Bombay Landlady / Clown/ Rev. Wilson
Ryan Nicholas - Sir Frances Cromarty/ Long Nose
James Korossy - Elephant / Waiter
David Hunt - Servant / Parsee
Lucy Parrott - Chief Priestess
Joss Kirby - Beggar Woman/ Sioux Indian
Jess Falconer - Hong Kong Pilot
Alice Peck - San Francisco Newspaper Seller
Katie Cole - Sioux Chief
Elena Moody - Mudge
James Smith - Elephant Owner/ Speedy
Polly Troup - Guard
Daniel Austin - Guard
Chris Pearce - Guard
Neil Sanderson - Waiter
Chris Anderson - Waiter
Wilfred Garrett - Waiter
Pat Bradbury - Long Nose/ Waiter
Lucy Relf - Beggar Woman’s friend
Michelle Pluck - Temple Dancer
Judith Hughes - Sea Sick Woman 1
Ella Norman - Sioux Indian 3
Coleen Cadoret - Little Wave 1
Sue Dashper - Big Wave 1

Direction & Adaptation - Peter Clerke
Design, Video & Production Management - Ben Ward
Choreography - Caroline Hotchkiss
Assistant Direction - Catherine Gillard
Costume - Jenni Sundheim
Lighting Design - Joe Price
Technician - Beki Gregory
Music Selection - Louise Sarton
Costume Assistant - Leanne Fitchett
Graphic Design - Richard Williams
Photography - James Yeats-Brown
Stage Management - Tom Callaghan; Michelle Pluck; Chris Pearce; Daisy Searle